Catherine Vasa

Catherine Vasa (Swedish: Katarina Gustavsdotter Vasa; 6 June 1539 – 21 December 1610) was a Swedish princess, and the Countess Consort of East Frisia as the spouse of Edzard II, Count of East Frisia. She was the oldest daughter of Gustav Vasa and Margareta Leijonhufvud. She was Regent of Ostfriesland (East Frisia) from 1599 to 1610.

Biography

As the first Swedish princess in two hundred years, Katarina's birth was seen as a good opportunity to make foreign alliances, and many negotiations were made to see which state would make the best bid. She was given a careful education and a large dowry. Edzard of Ostfriesland was chosen because Ostfriesland controlled the important port of Emden, a rival to Lübeck; because it was strategically positioned with Denmark; and because Emden was the provider of many Calvinistic craftsmen and artists to Sweden at this point. The negotiations took a long time, so long that Gustav Vasa stated in his frustration that it was a blessing that his daughter was at least neither "limped or blind". Ostfriesland was afraid that the marriage would lead to Swedish domination, and in 1558, the Count's mother, the dowager Regent Anna of Oldenburg, split the power in Ostfriesland between her three sons to prevent this from happening.

In 1559, the wedding between Katarina and Edzard finally took place in Sweden. The celebrations were interrupted by the great scandal in Vadstena, where Katarina's sister Cecilia was discovered having intercourse with Edzard's brother, who refused to marry Cecilia and so was imprisoned and possibly castrated as a result. Because of this, the couple could not leave for Ostfriesland until 1561.

Katarina Vasa was a well educated Renaissance princess; she was considered an intelligent and learned person with an independent character, and she had a great interest in literature and theology. She was a firm Protestant, visited Wittenberg and wrote interpretations of the bible. After the death of her spouse she wrote an ode for his funeral (1599). She had great influence both on her spouse and her son. She was in contact with her ruling brothers in Sweden through correspondance. She is known to have protested against the marriage of her brother King John III to Gunilla Bielke in 1585. In 1599-1610, she ruled Ostfriesland as Regent.

She is considered to be the one of her siblings who had the greatest resemblance to her father.

Family

Katharina was married to Edzard II of Ostfriesland on 1 October 1559, in Stockholm. They had the following children:

1. Margareta of Ostfriesland, 1560–1588
2. Anne of Ostfriesland, 1562–1621
3. Enno III of Ostfriesland, 1563–1625, (ancestor of Queen Victoria)
4. John III of Rietberg, 1566–1625
5. Christopher of Ostfriesland, 1569–1636
6. Edzard of Ostfriesland, 1572?-1573
7. Elizabeth of Ostfriesland, 1572?-1573
8. Sophia of Ostfriesland, 1574–1630
9. Karl Otto of Ostfriesland, 1577–1603
10. Maria of Ostfriesland, 1582–1616

Ancestors

References

• Herman Lindqvist :Historien om Sverige. Gustav Vasa och hans söner och döttrar (The History of Sweden. Gustav Vasa and his sons and daughters) (In Swedish)

External links

• http://www.guide2womenleaders.com/womeninpower/Womeninpower1570.htm
• http://genealogics.org/getperson.php?personID=I00014945&tree=LEO